Employment

Recent reports have shown a decline in unemployment, normally a positive outcome, but since we have been catering to big corporations, those results are just a façade. Our residents have to leverage with low-paying jobs while subsidizing with public assistance in order to survive.

Too many recent jobs that have become available to Bronx residents are low-wage jobs that do not allow for growth. Gonzalo believes that there needs to be a focus on providing employment that allows for growth and to be treated as a career.

While it is great that big chains and corporations are available to residents, the benefits of having local businesses around have been ignored with many of them disappearing at huge rates. These shops are backbones to communities and give many residents their first experiences in having a job. Instead of giving tax breaks to corporations, they should be given to local businesses along with a participating role in the communities’ Business Improvement District (BID) and other neighborhood business associations.